Campaign rivals deliver goodwill to Paris' 2024 Olympic bid

Goodwill messages to Paris' bid to host the 2024 Olympics were delivered from their campaign rivals to meetings with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday. 

   Long-scheduled plans had been fulfilled by Paris bid staffers to discuss strategy with Olympic officials six days after the terror attacks on their city.

   "It was very strong to share this moment," said bid co-president Tony Estanguet. "For sure, we had very difficult days last week."

   Stade de France, the 2024 bid's marquee venue, is one of targets of the attacks. Three suicide bombers blew themselves up and killed a bystander. 

   Estanguet said the Paris team took strength from opponents in the two-year bidding race who showed their solidarity. 

   "There is this special team spirit in sport. We received a very powerful message from the international sports community that we had to fight to defend the values of humanity," said the three-time Olympic canoe slalom champion.

   The 2024 bidders, including Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles and Rome, all have workshop sessions at IOC headquarters this week. 

   IOC staff guiding the five candidates through the bid process put no special focus on security issues Thursday. 

   "We need sports values, Olympic values more than ever in this world," said Paris 2024 CEO Etienne Thobois. "We feel we have to carry that baton together with the other bid cities."  Endi